Combined table and drawing easel



Aug. 19, 1952 WESTCAMP ,5

CQMBINED TABLE AND DRAWING EASEL Filed Jan. 29, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l.Zleslz'el. wesicamp BY MW ATTORNEYS INVENTOR Aug. 19, 1952 w s2,607,646

COMBINED TABLE AND DRAWING EASEL.

Filed Jan. 29, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR Leslie L. wesicampATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 19, 1952 OOMBlNED 'rAisnn AlVD DRAWING EAsEL p 1Leslie 1.. Westeamp, Fair Oaks, Calif..

' ;Application- January 29, 1949; Serial No. 73,596

This invention'is diI8GtBd'1tO, audit is anz-object to 'provide, a novelpiece of. childrens-"iurniture in' thesform-of acombined table" anddrawing easel. v

Another object of-the a combined tableiand'drawing,easelwhich includesan upstandingi supportingi frame .and'va flat, panel: adjustablebetweena horizontal position on the support foruse-asza table, and an.inclined position for use as a-drawing:easel-.-*

A further object-ofgthe invention is to: provide a combinedtableanddrawing easel; as above, which 'includes a novel mount adaptedto-secure the flat panel to the support forselective-adjustment betweensaidpositions; Additionally, this mount permitsof-easy removal of thepanel from-the support if desired.

-.An additional object of -thednvention is to provide a combined. tableand drawing" easel which is especiallydesigned and-adapted- -for use inthe homeand schools bychildren the structure being'simple ,butrugged,andthus-not-subjectto ready damage. a r v a A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a. combined table and drawing easel which issteady in either-position of use.

: vStilllanotherobject of the invention is to provide a practical andreliable combined table and drawing .easel, and onewhich is exceedinglyeffectiveforthe pur'poseffor whichit-is designed.

These objects are. accomplished :by means of such structure'and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings: V r

Fig. l'is an end elevation, partly broken away, of the combined tablanddrawing easel-badjusted for use as a table. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view butshowsthe device adjusted for use as adrawingeasel.

Fig; 3 is a bottom plan view ofthe paneLdetached. f V I Fig. 4 is an endelevation similartto, Fig. 1,.but illustrates a modified adjustable.mount for the panell I Referring.now..mre particularly to thecharacters of reference on. the drawings, andparticularlyat-presentto'Figs. 1j-3, inclusive,v the combined table anddrawing.easel forchildren comprises an upstanding support," indicated generallyat I, which is of tubular metal construction.

The upstanding support I comprises four corner legs 2, with said legs atcorresponding ends of the support connected by an integral floor bar 3.

invention: is: to --provide ,iclaims. (oLeu-ss) Y Transverse top bars 4and 5 connect corresponding legs 2 at the'front and ream respectively,of the support I at the upper ends of said legs.- A stay'barSextends-betwee'n the top' bars 4 andi intermediate their ends; saidstay bar 6 being ofiset downwardly-with respect to the bars 4 and 5by'reason of upturned end portions-1 on said stay bar.

A rigid, rectangular panel 8', preferably of Masonite or the like,isdisposed above the support I,. being adjustably mounted in connectiontherewith for use in a horizontalpositionas a table (see Fig. 1), or foruse in an ihclinedposition as a drawing easel (see Fig. 2). Theadjustable mount for the panel 8 comprises the follow mg:

On the under side thereof the panel B is fitted with aupair of crosscleats 9 and "I0 disposed-in parallel relation and spaced aparta-predetermined distance; s'uch 'cross, cleats being symmetrical on saidpanel.

The'cross cleat 9 is formed alongthe outer side thereof with alongitudinal, outwardly opening cradle or groove H; such groovereceiving the transverse top bar 6 when the panel 8 is disposed on thesupport I withthe cross cleats 9 and 1G engaging the top bars 4 and 5from the-inner side thereof.

7 The outer and lower longitudinal edges of the 'cross cleats-9- and l!)are beveled, as at I2 and turned toa transverseposition 'withrespect toi the corresponding crosscleats' 9 and I0, serve to lock the latteragainst escape from the top bars 4-and 5. In this manner the'p'a'nel 8is effectively maintained on the support I in a horizontal position,and'for use as a table. v U

To adjust the panel 8 to an inclined position, asin Fig. 2; for use'as adrawingeasel, the turncatch l5is released. and the panel 8 then swungupwardly about the transverse top bar 4 as an axis; the, cross cleat 9and turn-catch M then serving in the nature of a hinge assembly. Thepanel 8 is ,maintained in its inclined position, for use asadrawing'easel, by means of a supporting leg 16 which extends from thethengelevated, cross cleat It downwardly to detachable connect-ionwith'the transverse top bar 5.

;The supporting leg 15' is Y-shaped, with its open end straddling andpivoted to the \endsof the cross cleat 10, as at IT. At itsiopposit'eend the "supporting leg is formed with a springghook IE-whichfrictionally but releasably engages over 3 the transverse top bar 5, asclearly shown in Fig; 2.

When the panel I is in use in its horizontal position as a table, thesupporting leg I6 is folded up against the under side of said panel inthe manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4. the general assembly remains the same, andincludes an upstanding support, indicated generally at [9, and a panel20 adapted for horizontal use as a table, or inclined as a drawingeasel.

Here, however, the mount comprises cross cleats 2| and 22, both of whichare longitudinally grooved, as at 23 and 24, on corresponding sides; i.e. with the grooves facing in the same direction. The longitudinallygrooved cross cleat 2| engages one top bar 25 from the inner side, beingnormally secured to said bar by a, turncatch 26. The longitudinallygrooved cross cleat 22 engages and receives the other top bar 21 fromthe outer side. In this manner the panel 20 is held in its horizontalposition for use as a table.

To adjust the panel 20' to its inclined position for use as a drawingeasel, the turn-catch 26 is rotated to its unlatching position,releasing cleats 2| and 22 from positive engagement with the top bars 25and 21. The edge of the panel 20 adjacent cleat 22 is then raised untilcleat 22 is disengaged from the top bar 21. The cross cleat 2| is thenengaged with the top bar 25 and secured by turn-catch 26, and the panel20 is swung to said inclined position, being then maintained in suchposition by a supporting leg 28 which corresponds to the leg 16 in theembodiment'of Fig. 1.

The described combined table and drawing easel, in either of itsembodiments, provides a very practical and convenient piece of furniturefor use by children; the adjustment of the panel between its respectivepositions of use being accomplished readily and easily.

The device is relatively light-weight and thus capable of easy manualtransport from place to place, and the construction is such as tominimize wear or tearor damage. I

While designed primarily for home or school use, the device mayobviously be put to many other uses.

In either embodiment of the device the top panel can be easily removedfrom the support for the purpose of manual transport, or compactstorage; regardless of the panel being accomplished merely by rotatingthe turn-catches to free positions and then lifting upwardly on thepanel.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding supporthaving spaced, parallel top bars, aflat, rigid panel above the support,cross cleats secured on the under side of, the panel in position toengage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, and turncatches onthe cross cleats in position to intersect the corresponding top bars inholding relation thereto; one cross cleat and the correspondingturn-catch providing a hinge assembly for swinging of the panel, aboutone top bar, to an inclined position from a horizontal position uponrelease of the turn-catch on the other cross cleat from the other topbar, and a pivoted leg secured to the under side of the panel inposition to then extend to and releasably connect with said other topbar.

2. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding supporthaving spaced, parallel top bars, a flat, rigid panel above the support,cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position toengage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, one cross cleathaving a longitudinal groove in the outer side and the adjacent top barengaging in said groove, a turn-catch mounted on said one cross cleat inposition to releasably intersect said adjacent top bar and to retain thesame in the groove, another turn-catch mounted on the other cross cleatin position to releasably intersect the other top bar in holdingrelation, and a supporting leg pivoted on the under side of the panel,in position to extend from the panel to connection with said other topbar when said other turncatch is released and the panel swung upward toan inclined position.

3. A combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding supporthaving spaced, parallel top bars, a fiat, rigid panel above the support,cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position toengage lengthwise alongside corresponding top bars, one cross cleathaving a longitudinal groove in the outer side and the adjacent top barengaging in said groove, a turn-catch mounted on said one cross cleat inposition to releasably intersect said adjacent top bar and to retain thesame in the groove, an-

other turn-catch mounted on the other cross cleat in position toreleasably intersect the other top bar in holding relation, and asupporting leg pivoted on the under side of the panel in position toextend from the panel to connection'with said other top bar when saidother turn-catch is released and the panel swung upward to an inclinedposition; the cross cleats engaging the inner sides of the top bars, andsaid cross cleats being beveled along their lower outer edges, theturn-catches being secured to said beveled portions.

hA combined table and drawing easel comprising an upstanding. supporthaving spaced, parallel top bars, a fiat, rigid panel above the support,cross cleats secured on the under side of the panel in position toengage lengthwise along the inner side of corresponding top bars, alongitudinal groove in the outer side of one cross cleat, thecorresponding top bar seating in the groove, the lower outer corners ofthe cross cleats being beveled, and turn-catches on said beveledportions of the cross cleats releasably intersecting the correspondingtop bars in holding relation; there being a supporting leg pivoted onthe under sideof the panel in position to extend to connection with thecross bar corresponding to the other cross cleat when the latter isreleased and the easel is swung upward to an inclined position.

LESLIE L. WESTCAll/IP,

Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 1,287,894 Cox Dec. 17, 1918 Thefollowing references are of record in the 1,333,974 KusFerle 125, 1932fil f this t t; 1,894,334 Xavler Jan. 17, 1933 5 2,016,850 BittermannOct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,260,732 Anderson Oct. 28, 1941Number Name Date 2,420,041 Jensen May 6, 1947 231,252 Atkinson Aug. 17,188 2,500,542 Greene Mar. 14, 1950 284,251 Smillie Sept. 4, 18.83352,716 Slack Nov. 16, 1886 10 OTHER REFERENCES 439,186 Beams Oct. 28,1899 Joy in Bed and. Elsewhere, May 0, 1937. 948,905 Snyder Feb. 8, 1910(Franklin Table C'o., Louisville, Ky.)

1,057,958 Hallock Apr. 1, 1913

